[{"bbox": [114, 132, 1116, 191], "category": "Text", "text": "In order to prepare efficiently the ground for project implementation, TA services are provided and included in the preparation component of the projects."}, {"bbox": [114, 202, 1116, 260], "category": "Text", "text": "The future integration of the mini-grids into the national grid will be considered in the design to ensure long term sustainability."}, {"bbox": [114, 272, 1116, 418], "category": "Text", "text": "The EU and Sweden are working towards increasing access to electricity in rural areas in Liberia in a parallel and coordinated manner. This Programme will complement the EUR 10 000 000 SIDA programme, which supports investments in Solar Home System (SHS) and solar microgrids, applying SIDA's Results Based Financing (RBF) modality, which in Zambia reached 25 000 connections within 8 months and expects to reach 300 000 in Zambia within three years."}, {"bbox": [114, 430, 1088, 460], "category": "Text", "text": "The present programme applies one support modality for private sector investments in mini-grids:"}, {"bbox": [144, 471, 1116, 529], "category": "Text", "text": "- The **Construction of Assets** for electricity generation, transmission and distribution using the standard EU Works and Services procurement procedures."}, {"bbox": [114, 541, 1116, 600], "category": "Text", "text": "This programme will prioritise the South-East of Liberia; if successful and funds will still be available, the concepts of the programme may be extended to the rest of rural Liberia."}, {"bbox": [114, 653, 343, 682], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.3 Mainstreaming"}, {"bbox": [114, 695, 200, 721], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Gender"}, {"bbox": [114, 724, 1116, 984], "category": "Text", "text": "A gender analysis, undertaken by external consultants during the period November 2017 – March 2018, has concluded that the social dimensions of energy provision need to be addressed in order to reach the overall objective of contributing to poverty reduction. To achieve this, the approach under this action will be two-fold: i) implementation of a number of gender sensitive measures, including but not limited to ensuring quotas for women in employment opportunities and inclusion of women in project structures, and ii) development of a gender component which will prepare women, primarily through training and economic empowerment activities, to fully capitalise on the energy to be provided. The gender component will be implemented under a Service contract. Any investment in skills training will closely complement EU existing efforts under the 11th EDF TVET programme."}, {"bbox": [114, 997, 375, 1026], "category": "Text", "text": "Accompanying measures:"}, {"bbox": [130, 1026, 1116, 1113], "category": "List-item", "text": "- Gender sensitive training and capacity building to ensure that the arrival of electricity translates into poverty reduction and improved wellbeing of women, men, girls and boys living in the targeted areas. The TORs for tendering these services are available."}, {"bbox": [114, 1141, 367, 1171], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Rights-Based approach"}, {"bbox": [114, 1171, 1116, 1456], "category": "Text", "text": "The action is consistent with the Human Rights Country Strategy. Women in Liberia continue to miss out on opportunities and lack participation in management and decision-making positions at all levels of the society. Despite overall having almost an equal share of the labour force, they are very under-represented in terms of paid employment as women hold only 24 % of paid jobs and earn less than 70 % of men. Women are more likely to be vulnerably employed in the informal sector and agriculture and they make up 60 % of the workforce in rural areas in Liberia. The prevalence of women in the low skilled labour informal economy is associated in part with low literacy levels: women and girls continue to have limited access to education (33 % of women are literate compared to 62 % of men). Child marriage and violence against women, including female genital mutilation, remain of serious concern."}, {"bbox": [114, 1472, 1116, 1618], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will help to reduce these barriers by providing Affordable and Clean Energy to as many final beneficiaries as possible. For example, the availability of light in public places at night reduces the incidence of Sexual and Gender based Violence (SGBV). The availability of light at home has been proven to improve the educational achievements of girls, who are traditionally expected to carry out domestic chores during daylight hours. Moreover, training and employment opportunities under"}, {"bbox": [605, 1678, 626, 1698], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "13"}]